eNews · October 2015

What's New

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)—a time, in the words of President Obama, to "celebrate the many ways individuals with disabilities strengthen our workforce, our communities, and our country." Given accessible technology's crucial role in advancing the employment of people with disabilities, PEAT is enthusiastically observing NDEAM and encouraging employers, technology providers, and tech users to do the same. Please check out our NDEAM page on PEATworks.org, and use this month as an opportunity to spotlight the importance of accessible workplace technology practices.

As part of our NDEAM celebration, PEAT is collecting stories that demonstrate the power of accessible technology in fueling the employment success of people with disabilities. If you are an employee with a disability or an employer with insights to share in this area, we encourage you to submit a short personal statement about your experience.

Looking for a way to learn, share best practices, and mark NDEAM from the comfort of your own computer? Just log on to Twitter on October 28 from 2:00 - 2:30 ET, when PEAT will be moderating a Twitter chat on leading accessible technology practices designed to help all workers and advance the employment of people with disabilities. The chat will build upon PEAT's October 15 PEAT Talk on "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) policies and explore other ways to foster technology-accessible workplaces through universal design. Participants can join this real-time Twitter conversation by following @PEATworks and tagging their posts with the hashtag #PEATtalks.

This month, the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) will host its inaugural conference in Henderson, Nevada. PEAT team members Josh Christianson and Joiwind Ronen will present findings from our national research into the accessibility of online job applications and other eRecruiting tools. Attendees will enjoy a sneak preview of TalentWorks, a new online resource that PEAT is developing in response to the research findings, and learn more about other PEAT resources, trainings, and tools designed to advance the accessibility of workplace technology.

Save the Date

Join us on November 19 when Intuit's Ted Drake will explore Biz Ability, a community-driven resource that helps business owners and entrepreneurs with disabilities find the accessible tools they need to build and run their business effectively.

Mark your calendar now for our December PEAT Talk, when Project Director Josh Christianson will introduce TalentWorks, a series of tools, resources, and leading practices to help employers make their online job applications and other eRecruiting technologies accessible.

The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) is a multi-faceted initiative promoting the employment, retention, and career advancement of people with disabilities through the development, adoption, and promotion of accessible technology. To learn more, visit www.PEATworks.org.

In Focus

In the spirit of NDEAM, PEAT guest contributor Dana Marlowe explores how the practice of "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) can boost productivity and help people of all abilities succeed on the job. "Nowhere does BYOD have more potential and measurable benefit than in the employment of people with disabilities," she writes. Marlowe is the founder and president of IT consulting firm Accessibility Partners.

PEAT is funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor. PEAT material does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.